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    The Black Whale

    3.9 (228 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    THE BLACK WHALE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Black Whale

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    Tyon R.

    The Black Whale is such a charming spot on City Island--the ambiance is everything, both inside and out! We sat on the outdoor patio, which was beautiful and relaxing. The only small downside was a few things falling from the trees into our food and drinks, but honestly, the atmosphere made up for it. I ordered the Homemade Meatloaf with Mushrooms & Bacon in a Red Wine Sauce, served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables--absolutely delicious! I also tried the Pan-Seared Maryland Crab Cakes, which were flavorful and perfectly cooked. Both dishes were satisfying and well-portioned. Definitely coming back--great food, great vibes, and a perfect spot for a cozy meal or a celebration.

    Cynthia P.

    Great ambiance, incredible food and amazing service ! Thank you so much for the wonderful evening

    This Place was Lovely ! Back Yard Garden For Dinning ~ Beautiful Lanterns hanging among The Trees , The Food - Service & Ambience * A +

    At the bar.
    Vilma D.

    Good ambiance and service is great. Food is good. Bartender is so cool and inviting. Makes good drinks. Quaint little place in city Island. Outside patio with antique furniture.

    Watermelon Soup
    Vincent C.

    I stopped at The Black Whale for dinner with a whale of an appetite. Overall, they serve excellent food, but the service could use some work. Upon arriving, I was immediately seated. My waitress was extremely knowledgeable and gave me a rundown of their menu. I also conveyed to her my food allergies, one of which was tomato. Nevertheless, I was served bruschetta with tomato. When I asked for more bruschetta, but without the tomato, I was then again served bruschetta with tomato! Fortunately, my food allergies are quite mild, and in both cases, I was able to scrape the tomato off. However, the failure to communicate a patron's food allergies could have devastating consequences and is a service error that should never exist. The rough service aside, I did enjoy the food. I started out with a watermelon soup. Unlike other watermelon soups I've had in the past, their watermelon soup was less sugary. The somewhat neutral taste of the soup was perfectly complimented by watermelon chunks. The soup also came with oyster crackers - which I thought was extremely odd at first - but ended up pairing very well with the soup. For my entree, I had the Chicken Stroganoff. This was perhaps the best Chicken Stroganoff I've ever had. There was a perfect proportion of chicken to pasta, with the perfect amount of cheese. The sauce was excellent and tied the entire dish together.

    Dessert
    Gaspar R.

    As soon as you walk into this establishment you feel the artistic vibe of the interior decorator which transports your body to a serene state, I love the dessert choices which also transports your taste buds to a happy place. I have to say the service was good and the staff made you feel so welcomed. I highly recommend this place the prices are fair but parking might be challenging but with a little patience a parking spot will show up. Definitely recommend if you are in City Island in The Bronx

    Front of the restaurant
    Violet H.

    Anytime I want to cater to my seafood cravings and a nice date night with my love, I come here. Mussels were over the top great, juicy garlicky and flavorful. I also love their creativity indoors. It's dim, relaxing and cozy. Antiques everywhere. There is so much to look at and I love it because it gives you something to chat about.

    Huan C.

    On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the buzz on the street was that we were eating at the best restaurant in town. We waited for the restaurant to open. We were seated promptly. Very cute decor. We received complimentary bread (so it was so good). We ordered oysters, crab cake and apple fritter dessert. It was quite the multi course meal. Oysters were fresh and clean. Crab cake had some nice chunk of crab and it was flavorful. No dry crab cake here. The dessert was a huge portion. You can easily split the dessert with another person. Highly recommended it.

    John H.

    The food is the best food on City Island hands down! The staff is friendly but unfortunately they only take cash. It's seldom that I carry cash with me and definitely didn't expect that at a above average priced restaurant. But if that's not an issue for you, then I promise you won't be disappointed in anything about this beautiful place.

    Fettuccine with shrimp, mussels, and crab meat in a spicy marinara sauce. Insane!

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

    One of my favorite spots in city island for a low key, quiet experience. Solid food and great atmosphere. I will always go back

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing seafood and shore eats !!! Always on point with quality but reservations are a must !!!

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    2 years ago

    Food is always amazing! Moved here like 4 months ago and this is my favorite place. Everyone was extremely nice and helpful as well.

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    3 years ago

    Food was tasty. On street parking is a plus. No necessarily a seafood restaurant but the food was good

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    Page 1 of 6

    The Black Whale Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Black Whale

    Are they open for takeout?

    Do they have vegan options?

    No sorry lots of carbohydrates & protein

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    The Johnson Diner & Bar - Chicken Kebab

    The Johnson Diner & Bar

    3.8(99 reviews)
    7.0 miRiverdale
    $$

    I was ready for some breakfast and wanted to hit a new spot.. Not one of my regular spots.. So I…read morefound the Johnson Diner, checked their pictures and it pulled me in.. So I ordered Pancakes and eggs! My favorite! It was cool.. Service was great. The waitress was nice and attentive.. As far as ambiance, it was pretty chill. Not noisy at all. Just patrons enjoying their meals and chatting. Overall it's a nice spot and I'll go back to try something else next time. Have a great one yall! -Ray

    Service: 5 stars Food: 4 stars (3.5 if you don't know what…read moreto order) Price: 3.5 stars A longtime riverdale resident proposed the Johnson Diner and Bar for a late lunch. We benefited from her experience and good taste in guiding us through the menu. She ordered a caesar salad with grilled shrimp that looked divine! I love a good tuna melt and she said the Johnson had a good one- plain, but you can add whatever accoutrements you wish. I stuck with the classic and found it simple and satisfying She recommended one of the other salads (the asian salad) to my mom- with grilled chicken breast or shrimp. My mom's first job waitressing job in highschool was at a greek diner and upon discovering the Johnson Diner is greek, she had to try their Mousaka $21 served with a generous portion of greek salad. My mom enjoyed her Mousaka and said it had the perfect amt of cinnamon and spices- she ate the whole plate- she's usually a "take half home" eater- but said she wished she had ordered the salad as it looked fresh and light- and she felt full after the heavier Mousaka Maybe Mousaka for dinner, salads for lunch and brunch!

    Photos
    The Johnson Diner & Bar - Booth seating

    Booth seating

    The Johnson Diner & Bar - Chicken & Waffles (So good)

    Chicken & Waffles (So good)

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    George's Diner & Cafe - Scrambled eggs

    George's Diner & Cafe

    4.1(246 reviews)
    3.2 miWestchester Square
    $

    Ambiance 10/10 When I first stepped foot into the…read morerestaurant, I instantly got this retro vibe. I just love the color of the seating and how comfortable the atmosphere was. Service: 10/10 The employees were very friendly. They were kind and had a nice smile on their face. That is what customers should be looking for when being approached by waiters or waitresses. They were very helpful with the menu option. Food: 10/10 I started with their hot chocolate with whipped cream. Man! It was delicious. The whipped cream, by the way, is optional. It does not automatically come with the hot chocolate. The texture was just right. I picked a good day to drink hot chocolate. I have also ordered their standard Belgian Waffles with a side of sausage. I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed with the quantity of the waffle. They only give you one. Additionally, you'd have to ask for the butter. Butter does not automatically come with the waffles. The syrup is or at least should already be on the table once you're seated. Even though I only got one waffle, it was delicious. Furthermore, you have the option to add whipped cream to the waffles. They will add the whipped cream to the waffles for you. The same can be applied to pancakes. When all is said and done, they will offer you a blow-pop lollipop. Overall 9.5/10 I will be back. I am unsure if they do reservations. It wouldn't be surprising if they did. Their menu options and pricing were reasonable.

    George's is a Top Tier Bronx Diner. The only reason it doesn't get five stars it's because the…read moreambiance isn't "amazing"- again it's a diner in the Bronx. But the breakfast is delicious. They will essentially make whatever you want lol. They even have an iced coffee that's for you if you like more sugar in your coffee than coffee. I hope you're reading that as the compliment it's meant to be. And the staff is always nice. They are pretty attentive l, but they get so busy on weekends so you may have to wait a bit. Ultimately, I'm a George's loyalist. If you love Ellie's in ParkChester, it's only because you've never been here.

    Photos
    George's Diner & Cafe
    George's Diner & Cafe - Hot Choclate

    Hot Choclate

    George's Diner & Cafe - Canadian bacon

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    Jimmy's Grand Cafe - Garden Salad with apples

    Jimmy's Grand Cafe

    3.5(446 reviews)
    3.6 miCastle Hill
    $$

    We found Jimmy's Grand Cafe because it was in the evening, we were freezing and hungry after…read morewalking through the botanic gardens nearby. OH. MY. GAWDS. This place was an amazing find for us. It looks like, and kind of feels like, a diner, but it's so much more. We were super excited to find Latin American cuisine favorites that we love and don't often find near home. I had a Cuban Medianoche sandwich that was served on absolutely excellent bread, with curly fries. My husband, the carnivore, ended up with some kind of multiple meat sandwich that came on the same amazing roll. (Before you think it's weird for me to rave about the ROLL, where we live in central PA, there is no good bread. Just saying!) I also had to get an order of tostones because I love them so much. They came with a garlic sauce that was intense and delicious. The service was friendly and attentive. I got the impression that this is a neighborhood joint with lots of regulars. There was lots of chatter and conversation among the people around us. Seriously, if you need food in the Bronx, this place is a great place to eat.

    #whereisweekes.....we went to my Sistha Gurl surprised 55th Birthday Party at Jimmy's Grand Cafe…read more The food was very good and seasoned. The service was great. The servers were great making sure you glasses stayed full and took your plates when done eating. We all had a good time at the brunch and even had some food to take home.

    Photos
    Jimmy's Grand Cafe - Chicken Madeira

    Chicken Madeira

    Jimmy's Grand Cafe - Strawberry Cheesecake

    Strawberry Cheesecake

    Jimmy's Grand Cafe - Our California Chipotle Burger with a side of onion rings

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    Our California Chipotle Burger with a side of onion rings

    The Black Whale - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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